The Theme: Winter sparkle snowflake glitter, with pale pink and blue accents
The Location: The entire first floor of my house
This post is going to be HUGE, so if you have no interest at all in Caroline’s party please come back in a few days when it’s been bumped off the front page. I don’t want to put in a page break and have people think I’m trying to trick them into more page views. I get my page views the honest way – exploiting my children and friends!
The Decorations:
Dining room
Tree branch sprayed with snow-in-a-can
Ruffled crepe paper trees from this tutorial found on Pinterest
Living Room
Snowflakes cut from printer paper (Google “snowflake templates” for ideas)
My clothes pin photo display re-purposed as Caroline’s year in photos display!
Epsom salt in mason jars to look like snow
Glitter play dough party favors (more details in this post), yarn wreath, mirror frosted with snow-in-a-can
Yarn wreath, $1 picture frame ornament from Target
Chandelier decorated with dollar store garland & ornaments
Doily garland
The orange high chair didn’t match my theme, but a paper table cloth and a little tulle fixed it!
Fake snow everywhere!
The Food:
Hot cocoa and cocktail bar – the Keurig made it SO EASY!
I bought every single Christmas mug at Goodwill
Mini marshmallows, egg nog, powdered sugar, crushed candy canes, vanilla syrup, pink sprinkles, whipped cream, coconut flakes. Also on the bar: dark and milk hot cocoa, cider, Bailey’s, vanilla vodka, coconut rum, peppermint schnapps, mini candy canes.
Cucumber sandwiches, candy cane blossoms, red peppers & dip
Smoked salmon, dill & cream cheese on herb bread
Cupcakes (from a box!), my favorite frosting, edible sugar paper snowflakes bought at Stop & Shop
Sparkling cranberry brie bites. You know how sometimes you seen an idea on Pinterest and think “yeah, there’s no way that idea is going to be as awesome in real life”? This one was JUST AS AWESOME.
Thumbprint cookies, gooey vanilla sparkle cookies, fruit & dip, sugar cookies, ginger cookies, mini pastas on sticks with vodka, marinara, and alfredo sauce.
Cream cheese mints, lemon meringues
The pasta on sticks was a great idea… for grown ups. Next time I’ll get less pointy things.
Milk bottle snow men. Not quiet as cute as on the interwebs, but still cute.
Lemon cake (more boxed mix!) tinted 3 shades of pink
Tiny cake baked in a tomato can, covered in sprinkles & topped with “Caroline” written in chocolate
Don’t even THINK about taking her cake away
The Fun:
Glitter play dough & cookie cutters on a kid-sized table
All the planned activities in the world can’t stop the kids from getting every toy out of the toy box
DIY pull string pinata (more here) was a hit, even though it didn’t work exactly as planned. I had to shake most of the candy out after the ribbon holding it up broke, but the kids didn’t care one little bit.
DIY snowglobes were cuter in theory than in reality. They were kind of leaky and some of the trees dyed the water purple and the glue was messy, but everyone went home with one!
Sharing strawberries with a friend
Refusing to wear her hair bow
Dance party!
These two are TROUBLE
Playing with Grandma
Somebody got a pony for her birthday! (She’s kind of scared of it though)
Family photos with two kids – there is ALWAYS someone not looking.
Holy crap, that was ridiculously long. I think I got all the links and recipes in there but if you’re looking for something let me know. My Pinterest board for the party (with most of the ideas I did use and some really good ones I didn’t get around to) can be found here. I’m sorry most of the photos are terrible – it gets dark REALLY early here so I had to use the flash after the first 30 minutes of the party. It was definitely a great time and I know Caroline enjoyed herself. I hear everyone’s kids slept really well on Saturday night so I think they ran off all the sugar I pumped into them before they went home. Thank you to everyone who came and especially to my mother-in-law Carol who flew all the way from Ohio just to help me make the food and watch Little Evan for a few hours!
And Happy Birthday Caroline!
Bonjour! No I'm not French, it just sounded fancy. Sorry for the confusion. I'm Suzanne and the star of the show is Little Evan, who is now sharing top billing with Caroline, born December 19, 2010. I love hearing from you so if you have questions, stories or ideas to share, email me at bebehblog at gmail dot com.
{ 30 comments… read them below or add one }
This is freakin’ amazing. And you look great.
Misty @ The Family Math recently posted..Working with Style: Taking advice edition
What an amazing event! I’m impressed that you pulled that together while getting ready for the holidays! The milk bottle snowmen were my favorite.
I wish I could come to your parties! SO FUN.
Joanna recently posted..The exception to the rule
This makes me want ot move back to CT, just so I can go to the next party you throw! Happy Birthday Caroline!
Ahhhmazing! Can you come decorate my house like a winter wonderland??? It looks like everything came out perfect!
PLEASEEEEE start a party planning business and share your genius with everyone!!
Looks like an amazing party! So glad Caroline – and everyone – had such a fantastic time
Shari recently posted..Page by Page.
Awesome. I think I’m saving up my pretty parties for when the kids are older. Or I’m lazy. You put me to shame. You should write a ‘how to have an awesome birthday party on a budget’ book in a few years when you’ve got 10 birthday parties under your belt. I like round numbers. Start now so you don’t have to try to remember what the recipes were or how you did X or Y.
Also, also – I’m pretty sure the pink milk snowmen are team Slithering. They look a little evil.
Audrey recently posted..Creativity
WOW! It looks amazing!!! So sorry that we didn’t get to come to this one. Especially since you made thumbprint cookies. I hope Caroline is enjoying being one. Great job with yet another amazing party!!!
Please, can I come to your next party? You’re amazing! Did you hang some sort of flocked fabric in front of the lights in the dining room window so they would look a little ethereal?
TMae recently posted..Feminist Friday – Ani DiFranco and the ERA
So amazing. And that first shot of the dessert table with the twinkle lights behind it? I may have squeed.
Amy @ babybabylemon recently posted..Spence Day
So freakin’ cute. Happy Birthday, baby girl!
Now that you’re done with Caroline’s, I’m going to need some ideas for a baby boy who will be one sooner than I’m ready to admit. OK? Thanks!
Krista recently posted..No, YOU be the patient parent
It was an awesome party! All the kids had a blast and so did the parents. Those cranberry brie crackers are OUT OF THIS WORLD!!!!! I am already planning batches and batches of them for every event I can think of. I’m also in love with the gooey sparkly cookies! Thanks so very much for having us once again. You are inspiring!
You’re fantastic and now I am extremely hungry and also I want you to come make a party at my house. The theme will be things that start with M.
MKP recently posted..MKP and the Crazybrain, pages 3-4
DANG. Girl, you know how to throw a party!! I am in absolute awe that you made all that food. AWE, I tell you. I’m also headed to Pinterest to pin everything and attempt to recreate it for our NYE party. (Can I call you sobbing when I fail? I have no idea how you pulled all of that off!!)
Cindy @ The Flipping Couple recently posted..cabinets ON THE WALL
WOW! I am so impressed. Your party planning skills really are amazing. Everything looked perfect and so dreamy. Happy birthday to your sweet sweet Caroline!
molly recently posted..chicken noodles for the sick toddler soul
That was gorgeous. GORGEOUS. You make me want to throw parties. Actually, you make me want to attend YOUR parties. That looks like a lot of work. Is there a panic stage (OMG SO MUCH TO DO!) stage involved?
Swistle recently posted..Snail Mystery Solved; Virus Mystery Continues
I see you stuck to your guns about not having a big birthday party :p
I am in wonder and awe ……. everything was GORGEOUS! I bow down to your party throwing prowess – it’s remarkable.
What a gorgeous party for a gorgeous baby girl! Happy birthday Caroline.
This is all incredibly beautiful. Wow!
Brigid Keely recently posted..I’d forgotten how unrelentingly awful sleeping with a toddler is.
LOVE it! LOVE it! LOVE it! Absolutely Gorg! I have decorating envy! =)
Mariann L. Dyson recently posted..I like to start…
Wow. Ditto what everyone else said. The party looked amazing! My favorite photo? is the one of Caroline holding her cake protectly to herself. So so cute. You have one gorgeous family.
barbra recently posted..the nutritionist part II
I’m speechless. And realizing now that I’d better get started on Sophie’s first birthday party planning … for May.
Also: you are incredibly talented! Thanks for sharing all the links.
xo!
Suzanne recently posted..Handmade giveaway: Yarn wreaths by Sweet Cello
Sigh. You are Mommy’s hero. Also You are who she curses in her head when she’s planning *my* parties – you set the bar impossibly high!
Cole recently posted..Bedrest Cookie Decorating – Thousand Word Thursday
This is why I don’t even try. This is astounding. Though the second milk bottle on the right looks positively sinister.
Happy birthday Sweet Caroline!
again, WHERE WERE YOU WHEN I WAS PLANNING MY SWEET 16?! you are the BEST party planner ever. hence all the capital letters.
WOW. So stinkin’ cute. So what are you doing in July? Coming to Texas and planning my kid’s birthday party, right??
Carrie recently posted..Here I Am Again…Only This Time, I’m Turning 34
seriously AMAZING party, my friend. you’ve definitely outdone yourself, in the best possible way! everything is incredible, especially the wonderful food and all the fun stuff for the kids to do! absolutely beautiful party. xoxoxo!
emily bilbrey recently posted..the little big blog.
Happy birthday to Caroline. Looks like an awesome party.
I’m not kidding when I say that I will fly you down for my babies 1st b-day party! You’re in charge of theme & decorations!!
Suz recently posted..12 Week Appointment
Wowsers!! How on earth do you do it? What a beautiful party. I can’t believe you ever come up with ideas for how to make a high chair pretty. I second the book idea, seriously I’d buy it.
And most importantly, happy birthday Caroline. She is such a cutie.
Hello! I’m so happy to see you liked the sparkling cranberry bites! Yay. Your part is absolutely gorgeous. xo Marina
Marina {YummyMummyKitchen.com} recently posted..Chia Seed Peanut Butter Superfood Cookies {gluten free recipe}
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